With just weeks to go before the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 begins on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh cricket now stands at a serious crossroads, with the situation becoming more serious with each passing day. This play is based on the deepening relations between India and Bangladesh.
Bangladesh vs ICC: T20 World Cup 2026 venue turns into political drama
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has now taken its fight with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to the next level. BCB sent a second official letter to the ICC, where they have once again demanded that Bangladesh’s ICC T20 World Cup 2026 matches be shifted out of India.
Bangladesh Board wants to hold its matches in Sri Lanka due to security reasons. He made this request after BCCI forced KKR to drop Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from its IPL 2026 squad following demands made by several political leaders.
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the heart of the matter
There was a massive backlash to KKR’s signing due to the ongoing situation of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, and relations soured after the murder of a Hindu man there. Following Rahman’s removal, the Bangladesh government announced an indefinite ban on IPL telecast in the country and later, the BCB decided not to play its matches in India due to security concerns.
Bangladesh has to play four group-stage matches in India. Of these, three matches are planned in Kolkata, while one match will be held in Mumbai. Despite the tournament being so close, BCB is not ready to play its ICC T20 World Cup 2026 matches in India.
BCB has intensified the fight with ICC
Now, he has sent a new letter after high-level discussions between BCB and Sports Ministry advisor Asif Nazrul. Nazrul has taken a tough and direct stand on this issue and has made it clear that the board will not back down easily. The ICC asked Bangladesh to clearly state what security risks it was concerned about, and the BCB responded by detailing its concerns.
However, the board has not publicly disclosed those concerns, keeping the exact reasons confidential. As of now, the ICC has not made any public announcement on the issue, but it has continued to seek clarity from the Bangladesh board on the matter.
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“The ICC wanted to know the areas of concern regarding security and the BCB has quoted them in detail,” a BCB source close to the board told PTI.
BCB divided over tough stance as uncertainty persists over ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Inside BCB, opinions are divided. Some members fully support Nazrul’s strict approach, as he believes that the safety of the players should come first at any cost. However, some officials believe that the board should keep talking to the ICC and Indian authorities, believing that stronger and guaranteed security arrangements can solve the problem.
At present there is no indication that the ICC is ready to shift Bangladesh’s matches from Kolkata and Mumbai to Colombo. Nevertheless, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has insisted that the global body has shown some openness to reviewing the security issues raised.
